Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia

History

First settled in August 1749 by Captain John Gorham, acting on orders from Governor Edward Cornwallis to establish a military fort named Fort Sackville (The community was named after George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville.) Lower Sackville is now one of the fastest growing communities in Nova Scotia, and contains a mix of residential and commercial development in the Sackville River valley, immediately north of the former town of Bedford. As the community grew, the beautiful oak trees that lined the main drive were cut down one by one due to poor urban planning, and as more homes were desired the farmlands deceased to make way for further urbanization.

Before amalgamation into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, Lower Sackville was an unincorporated part of Halifax County (2001 pop.: 27,941). This area of HRM experienced a 7% population growth rate between 1996-2001 (2006 pop.: approx. 35,000). In the 1950s and 60s it was a popular destination for Haligonians seeking entertainment at the drive-in theater, WW2 bomber plane ice cream attraction and Sackville Downs harness racing track which provided entertainment until it closed in 1986.

A result of its unincorporated status before 1996, Lower Sackville and adjacent unincorporated communities such as Middle Sackville and Upper Sackville did not benefit from appropriate planning and are examples of urban sprawl. The community's growth reflects its central location, near both Halifax and Dartmouth, with easy access to Highway 102, Highway 101 and Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Proximity to downtown Halifax and Burnside and Bayers Lake Industrial Parks gives the suburbs of Lower Sackville the advantages of employment opportunities and services of a larger city, and is typical of most commuter communities experiencing growth in North America.

Lower Sackville has experienced ribbon/strip-style commercial development along Trunk 1 since the 1960s. Current retail chains include Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, Canadian Tire, Cleve's Sporting Goods, Dollarama and Giant Tiger. There are numerous independent retailers located in this area as well. Most of the restaurants in the area are of the fast food or family dining variety, in addition to others offering Chinese-Canadian food and pizza. Lower Sackville has always displayed an abundance of community spirit, and excelled within the HRM as a strong leader of excellence in sports as well as academics.

Sports

Recreational pursuits in the community revolve around sports fields at local schools and parks, as well as the Sackville Sports Stadium, which is equipped with two swimming pools, gymnasium, curling rink, and one of Lower Sackville's two ice hockey arenas. The majority of Lower Sackville's suburbs were built in the 1970s on the southern edge of First Lake which offers outdoor recreational opportunities. The Bedford-Sackville Connector Greenway is a crushed gravel covered trail running beside the Sackville River from the intersection of Cobequid Road and Sackville Drive to Bedford Place Mall. Prior to the opening of the trail in 2006, there was no easy way to walk from Lower Sackville to Bedford. A provincial park reserve borders the northern edge of the community at Second Lake.

Education

The community hosts two high schools: Sackville High School and Millwood High School, along with a community-run museum, Fultz House.

Districts of Lower Sackville

The following are the districts of Lower Sackville, their geographical location, and/or main road:

Some neighbourhoods of Lower Sackville are also known by their tendency to use street names starting with the same letter:

Notable people